


Twisted games

by Oh_Toasty



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dragons, Canonical Character Death, Creativity, Dragon Hoards, Dragon!Starks, Games, Gen, Grief, Magic, Mourning, dragon!Tony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-21
Updated: 2016-05-21
Packaged: 2018-06-09 21:12:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6923518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oh_Toasty/pseuds/Oh_Toasty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!<br/>There are points to be scored. There are games to be won.<br/>And the magical things you can do with that ball<br/>will make you the winning-est winner of all.<br/>Fame! You'll be as famous as famous can be,<br/>with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.</p><p>Except when they don't<br/>Because, sometimes they won't.</p><p>I'm afraid that some times<br/>you'll play lonely games too.<br/>Games you can't win<br/>'cause you'll play against you."</p><p>Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You'll Go!</p><p> </p><p>~~~~</p><p>Dragons are playful creatures.  They play twisted games with others of their kind and manipulate the future for their own purposes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Twisted games

Dragons are playful creatures. They play twisted games with others of their kind and manipulate the future for their own purposes with out a single thought towards the mortals who occupy their planet. Perhaps that's why the mortal's began to hunt them, to kill them. 

The mortals continue until all dragons except two have died or fled to other realms. Perhaps they would have actually lead to the extinction of the race had they been aware the dragons could take on human forms. As it is the demolition of their race is what brings the two remaining dragons together. It's an unlikely meeting in the late 1500's, but the two are delighted by it and so they play games with one another, manipulating history to suit themselves. 

They lay a clutch in 1870, and hatch a beautiful red dragon with golden scales across his underbelly. They name him in the old language of fire, a name which roughly translates to Ananda. This is simply his family name however and they know he shall chose another name in one hundred years when he can finally take a human shape and act as their infant child. 

Years after Ananda's birth, his mother takes a new name and restarts her game with her mate, now named Howard. She begins World War I, Howard ends World War II. They argue over who won for the rest of their lives. Ananda observes and learns, as all dragons do, that life is a game. 

He's ninety nine years old when, he masters shifting into a human. He can only become an infant, but that's fine. He knows as he spends years in that form he can make it age like the average human's. 

"Very good," his mother tells him with a purr. "Choose your new name and I shall tell your father."

Within that next year, Howard and Maria introduce Anthony Edward Stark into the world. 

Dragons are strong creatures, but they are in no way immune to death. Tony is a mere one hundred twenty-one, a child in dragon terms, when his parents are killed. They are killed, he knows that, dragons as old and powerful as his parents couldn't be killed by a simple car crash, they would react to the situation and save themselves within seconds of it going wrong. 

"Are you okay," Rhodey asks him. 

"No."

Then he walks out of the room gets in his car and drives for hours. Eventually he gets out and launches himself into the air with a roar. 

Tony takes over his parents hoards and he mourns in ways that no human can understand. Dragons are sociable, they need others to play the games they love. But Tony, he's alone, the last of his kind and that hurts. 

He stops playing long, difficult games; he has no one to play them with. Instead his life consists of maintaining his new hoard and adding to it himself. The only game he plays is with his daily conquests. 

Then he's kidnapped by terrorists and wakes up with a battery in his chest. He laughs and remembers all of life is a game. When they demand that Tony make them weapons, he agrees because this, this is what a dragon does. A dragon treats his life as a game and plans to come out the victor. Tony builds the suit, and he wins. He wins the game without even having to reveal what he is. 

Tony goes home with an object in his chest and a smile on his face. He's happier than he's been in years. He's finally ready to play, the way a dragon should. First though, he changes the game to suit his tastes. Gone is the the mass weapon production, something his father only started to expand his hoard, replaced with clean energy. 

Tony expects discontent, in fact he plans on it so when Obadiah comes into his home and uses his own design against him, Tony plays along and acts paralyzed. Tony wants to laugh when Obadiah takes his arc reactor and really thinks it'll be that easy. 

Tony waits for the other man to turn around before rising to his feet with a disinterested glance at his chest. 

"Obadiah," he calls. "I can't let you leave with that."

The man spins around his eyes wide, "How are you even standing, the shrapnel should be clawing its way into your heart right now!"

"Fairly certain I'm the only one around here who has claws," Tony laughs allowing his talons to extend as he offers a wave to the frightened man. "Oh no, Howard never told you did he? I thought not, you see Obie the Stark family, we're dragons. As a result the shrapnel you were depending on it's already been destroyed; my blood is highly corrosive. I only keep the arc reactor where it is so that there's not a giant hole in my chest."

Obadiah sucks in a deep breath in futile attempt to calm himself, "What are you going to do with me?"

"We'll take this back first of all," Tony replies striding forwards and plucking the arc reactor from his hands. "I can't let you take it, it's a part of my hoard."

"Hoard?" Obie gulps his eyes cautiously following the other man. 

"Yes, hoard. All dragons collect different things for my father it was weapons, my mother books, and me- well I collect creative things." Tony suddenly stares straight into Obadiah's eyes, "Would you like to know something else about dragon hoards?"

The man closes his eyes verify wore answering, "What?"

Tony lunges forwards taloned claws wrapping around Obie's throat and a few rouge scales appearing and showcasing his youth and lack of control. "We don't let people touch our hoards, let alone steal from them!"

"Please don't kill me," Obadiah begs and Tony laughs dropping the man and stepping back. 

He is a dragon after all, and playing with his food is still playing. 

"In my own house, of course not," Tony snorts, "I'm not a fool. Suspicion would be directed at me if I did that. No, go home."

Obadiah scrambles away and Tony laughs, he truly is having fun playing. 

He climbs into his suit with a smile, "Come on Jarvis, let's go take care of the suit Obie was building."

He rips it apart with a vengeance snarling the whole time, "It's not even creative, just a crude copy."

When he's done, Tony returns to his game. He uses the ironman suit and flies until he intercepts the private jet Jarvis informs him Obadiah is one. Then he allows the suit to fall away and reassemble its self mid air. 

Tony whoops with joy at his free fall, waiting until the last possible moment to shift back into his true form. As soon as he has Tony flies upwards and grasps the wing of the plane between his teeth, tearing it off. He watches then as the plane spirals away, the acrid sent of fear filling his nostrils. It fades away as the plane impacts the ground and Tony shifts back into his humanoid form, letting his suit encase him. 

Obadiah is dead, all is well, and he still has time to check his hoard over before his next board meeting. 

It's not long after that when he learns the arc reactor would be poisoning him were he human. He deigns to fix it only because he knows Shield is watching him for any signs of poisoning by that point. 

Creating a new element is far to fun, Tony decides as he fuses both magic and science together. As he exchanges his arc reactor with a new one, Tony wonders if perhaps that's is what it's like on the other realms. A wonderful combination of science and magic. 

It's a year after killing Obadiah when Tony is attacked at the Monaco Grand Prix. Some man he's never met lashes at him with whips of electricity obviously based off of his reactor. He wants to snarl and rip the head off of this man for using plans of something from his hoard, but he restrains himself. Instead he allows his suit to encase his body and he fights as a human. It's not nearly as satisfying, but it gets the job don't. 

When the two meet again, Tony no longer has that kind of restraint. There, in the Oracle Dome where Vanko and his drones face Ironman, he takes off his suit. Vanko's eyebrows rise and he takes a step forwards. 

"You are even more foolish than I thought if you take of your armor," Vanko spits. 

Tony laughs. He laughs as though it's the funniest thing he's heard all day only to laugh harder when Vanko shifts in discomfort. 

"You are the foolish one little human," Tony informs him solemnly. Then he begins to grow, changing like nothing Vanko has ever seen before as he takes on his true form. Tony can smell fear before he's even completed his change. 

"What are you?" Vanko cries out in Russian. 

Tony smiles and replies in kind, using the form of All-Speak every dragon has, "Something far greater than you."

Vanko stares up at him before falling to his knees, "Make it quick than!"

Tony considers it, he truly does, but Pepper had been there at the Expo when Vanko released his drones and by affect he'd threatened Pepper. Wonderful Pepper, who had barged into his office and maxed his guard to show him and accounting error. Pepper who has been a part of his hoard nearly as long as Rhodey (though neither know he's a dragon nor that creative approaches to situations could land them in his hoard).

"No," Tony decides, "I don't think I will."

Then he flaps his wings and bursts through the glass ceiling, his suit trailing behind him. With a loud hiss, Tony turns back to the building he just vacated and breathes flame on to it. He nearly chuckles at the resulting explosion and the backfire from Vanko's drones. Then he shifts back to human and allows his suit to engulf him before any press arrives. 

Returning to the Expo is the only thought in his mind. The explosion his flames caused, was only so big because of explosives in the drone. From the size of it Vanko had added extra explosives, no doubt for self destruct. He needs to ensure Pepper hasn't been harmed, won't be harmed. 

He flys in, sweeps Pepper of the stairs of the Expo, and watches as the world explodes behind him. A quiet growl escapes his throat as he considers how close to dying Pepper was. He wonders is he should've made Vanko suffer more than simply burning. 

"Tony," Pepper gasps as he sets her atop a random rooftop. "Tony!"

"Shh," he murmurs, "You're alright now."

He hugs her tight, gently patting her back, "It's okay Pepper, you're okay."

And she is okay, she comes out of this encounter stronger, ready to deal with what ever opponents Tony may face. She's a good addition to his hoard, and Tony regrets nothing. 

When Tony finally meets someone equipped to play gamesmanship the dragons of old had, he's one hundred forty-two. He's just set up an arc reactor power source for his tower, when Agent Coulson walks in and passes off a file. Pepper leaves with promises to return with the contracts Stark Industries needs and Tony gets to reading. 

He's mesmerize by what he finds, an Aesir had come to earth and it's the one known as the god of chaos. He's perfect to play games with and perhaps Tony will if he can dissuade him from destroying earth. 

Tony likes Earth enough to protect it despite the fact that he could go to another realm. Besides, the people of his hoard are here and he intends to keep them until they pass of natural causes. 

Tony suits up and goes to meet Loki. 

"Your move reindeer games," he says and watches suspiciously as Loki drops his weapons and armor. 

Then It hits home, whatever game Loki is playing, he thinks he's the only player. He thinks nobody else is even close to him and that he'll end up on top no matter what, and isn't that a curious thought when he's in the middle of being arrested. 

Tony watches, he sees when Loki flinches away from the thunder. He knows that this isn't a part of the game. It wasn't planned, so Tony stops Thor and brings Loki back. After all, his games have always had a bit of gambling and what's a better way to learn the rules of a game than to play it. 

Loki is put into the hulk's cage and Tony walks into the Avengers' little conference with a wide grin. They're discussing the Tesseract, but he doesn't care instead throwing in his opinion on a different matter entirely. 

"He's playing with us," Tony announces as he sweeps into the room. 

Fury's one eye darts to him, "What makes you say that?"

Tony rolls his eyes, "I know that kind of person, trust me when I say getting caught was a part of his plan."

"The guy is crazy," Bruce objects. "He doesn't know what he's doing."

Rogers shakes his head, "No, Stark is right. Loki's up to something."

"Romanoff," Fury barks, "You can go interrogate the prisoner."

"No offense," Tony interjects, "But do you really think that will work?" 

Fury glares down at him, "Do you have a better idea?"

"Yes," he exclaims. "Romanoff screams spy, so send someone who isn't a spy. Send someone to gloat and irritate Loki. He'll still know we're fishing for information, but it won't be how he expects us to."

"And who do you recommend I send?" Fury questions his irritation obvious. "Rogers, Banner?"

"Me," Tony smiles wickedly. "Nobody is as annoying as me, you're already irritated and I've only been talking to you for three minutes."

"Tis a noble pursuit," Thor says solemnly, "But my brother is a trickster and you can not trust his words."

"You're brother is playing a game," Tony corrects, "And nobody is better at games than a Stark."

Tapping his fingers on the table, Fury contemplates, "You can go speak with him. But Stark, you'll be constantly monitored and if I think he's getting more from you than you are from him, I'm pulling you out."

"Of course," Tony agrees before he walks put if the room.

Watch out Loki, Tony is ready to play. 

"What a surprise," Loki purrs when he walks in, "I'd thought I'd get a real agent."

A smirk creaks on to Tony's face, this really will be fun. 

"Well, they're a little short on agents right now, you did steal their little hawk."

"Yes," Loki laughs, "I suppose I did. That's what happens when you leave your things unguarded however."

There's a twinkle in Tony's eye as he hears that, "You'd know more than most, wouldn't you Loki?"

The god's head snaps toward him violently and he hisses, "Quiet mortal, you know not of which you speak."

"What did you get taken Loki?" Tony asks his voice unusually gentle, "What'd you leave unguarded?"

Tony has only just cast a spell to play false footage for Shield when Loki's anger gets the better of him and he teleports directly in front of Tony. Strong fingers wrap around his throat and Tony wants to laugh because it seems like Loki had thought he'd win this game. 

Tony pulls the fingers off of his neck without any trouble, not bothering to hide his strength from the Aesir. Loki's eyes widen as he watches. 

"You aren't mortal."

Tony smiles and shows pointed teeth, "Not even close. Now, why are you here?"

"The Mad Titan sent me,". Loki confesses. "What are you?"

"Thanos," Tony breathes and Loki flinches minutely. "I'm a dragon by the way. What's your plan, I know you aren't trying to work with the Mad Titan. You're playing a game."

"My plan," Loki purrs, "Is to destroy enough to make him think I cooperated and then get captured. Asgard's prisons are far safer than here." 

Tony shakes his head, "New plan, you cause destruction like before only you don't get caught. Come by my tower after the battle, and well stop Thanos together."

"I don't suppose I get a say," Loki question.

Tony laughs, "Of course you do, I can always travel to Asgard and break you out to help me."

"Very well," Loki acquiesces. "I shall do as you ask."

He steps back into his cell and Tony releases the magic looping Shield's cameras. He opens his mouth just as an explosion rocks through the helicarrier. 

"Stark, we've got an engine down!" Fury's voice filters through an intercom. 

Tony grins, this is definitely the best game he's played so far.


End file.
